Grading Schemes
In Canvas, a grading scheme is used to grade an assignment; i.e. they are a technical implementation of a rating scale. This implementation requires associating each grade step with either a percentage or a number of points required to achieve the grade step.
At Lund University there is a joint decision (STYR 2024/612) on which grading scales are to be used . But in this decision, there are no instructions or even guidance - probably very deliberately - about what percentages the different rating steps mean. This means that it is up to each faculty or department to interpret how the rating scales should be used, and these interpretations differ greatly, not only between faculties and departments but also between courses or even assignments. There is also room for individual faculties and departments to expand with more rating scales.
This means that we have now taken the decision to deactivate the LU common set of grading schemes. Instead, teachers, institutions and faculties need to produce the grading scheme that suit the education in question.
How to make a new grading scheme?
Teacher
As a teacher, you can make grading scheme for your own courses. You do these in the settings for the task. Select "Manage all Grading Scheme" and create a new one. The grading scheme can then be used by all teachers on the course.
The name of the grade level is used in SpeedGrader
The name ("letter") that you give to each grade level in your grading scheme must be used literally in SpeedGrader. If you call the VG level VG - Excellent, then if you want to enter a letter grade in SpeedGrader, you must write it exactly like this; VG - Excellent with uppercase, space and hyphens. If you write something else in SpeedGrader, Canvas will not understand what grade you or one of your colleagues who is grading the assignment means.
Make it easy for you! Keep it short and concise and name the VG level VG to avoid incorrect assessment in the exams!
Canvas administrator
As a Canvas administrator, you can make grading scheme visible to all users on your device. Access the desired unit via the Admin page (1) and select "Assessment" (2) in the white left menu. Under the Grading Scheme tab (3), you can add new grading scheme (4) and archive those you no longer want to be available.
Give new grading schemes good names!
There can easily be many grading scheme available to a teacher, to make it clear which grading scheme to use, it is strongly recommended to give it a good name.
Name your new grading scheme so it's clear where it belongs. This form is good: “UNIT, descriptive name”. A grading scheme that is visible throughout the Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology can e.g. be called "HT, AE, 50% for pass".
Pre-selected grading scheme
A good function is the possibility to select a preferred grading scheme in the course settings, as well as a pre-selected submission time of the day. This will then be the default on all new assignments created within that course, helping to keep it consistent.
Is there something missing? Do you have ideas or questions? Feel free to contact us at digital@education.lu.se
The Unit for Educational Services - 2024-06-10